Does anyone use a 6.5 WSSM?

R

rooshooter

New member
I,m building up a 6.5 WSSM (25WSSM necked up) for F class. Has anyone here used one? Mine is a thin neck reamer so a 25 WSSM FLS die works with my 6.5. I will be using H4350 powder to get 2820 fps, or even 2940 if it is possible.
Has anyone here tried one?
 
Best avoid the WSSMs - poor quality brass, very thick walls too. You don't get any more case capacity than .260 Rem / 6.5-08, and the fashionable short fat case actually doesn't give you any benefit over a more conventional design based on the .308W case. For a small 6.5, go for 6.5X47L, .260R, or 6.5 Hornady Creedmoor, all superior designs and the first pair have much better quality brass available from Lapua. For something bigger, look at 6.5X55mm SKAN or the same cartridge in AI form again using Lapua brass, or 6.5-284 in a shorter action.

If you're starting point is owning a WSSM action, look to sell it, give it away, or bury it in a deep hole. You may gather I'm not a fan of the WSSM and its poor sales / near disappearance off the factory rifle scene shows I'm not alone in this view.
 
In contrast I'm a fan of the 26WSSM.
I consider it's 'poor sales' in factory form to be irrelevant w/regard to competitive shooting for two reasons:
1. Factories never offered a 26WSSM
2. Competitors(who are competitive) don't use factory guns

Also, while it's true that Win 25WSSM reloading brass is so thick that it should be neck turned, it's quality is as good or better than any brass I've seen from Lapua, or even Norma. It's also cheap enough to buy in large lots to cull the very best from.
It is simpler to go 260AI, which is matching in 26WSSM capacity, now that Lapua offers the brass. Had they offered it earlier, I would have gone that route because I consider this to be the perfect capacity for 26cal.

There is no issue I'm aware of with actions used for the 26WSSM. Far as I know, any magnum diameter action will work fine long or short, and some are excellent. I use a BAT RS with mine as it accepts a large tenon, and provides standing blade ejection.
The last load logged as working well for me is 47.4 IMR4350 from a 28" Border, giving me 3020fps, ES is 8fps, with 139Laps. This is a 5R barrel in 8.5tw, with a 'fitted' chamber.
30+ reloads with zero FL sizing, no trimming, and optional neck sizing(I do partial NS and bump a little).
This load produces 55kpsi according to QL. It's SAAMI max is 65Kpsi which would be reached at ~3175fps and put me into FL sizing. I validated this with measurements during initial load development. This cartridge could be pushed hard, but there is no reason to IMO. Such is the benefit of proper capacity.

Anyhow, I'd suggest 260imp as it's just easier to get the same, provided Lapua's 260 brass is as good. Don't assume this though. Measure it.
 
2. Competitors(who are competitive) don't use factory guns
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I agree 100%, but if I were paying out the rather large amount of money that a custom action with magnum bolt face costs - far more over here in the UK than you pay in the US for a BAT or Stolle, rather less but still a great deal for an equivalent RPA or Barnard, I can think of many cartridges I'd choose for F Class ahead of the WSSMs. The SAUM is a good starting point, but there are others.

For the F Class we shoot here, forget any 6.5mm if you want to be competitive - as the US F Class team discovered in July 2009 in the last F Class World Championship meeting held at Bisley. You shoot a seven if you want to be in the top ten in a normal national league round, the one season icebreaker short-range round aside, end of story.

I'm waiting with great interest to see what the new Lapua .260 Rem brass is like, but having measured large batches of the two recent introductions after they arrived on our shores - the .308 Win Palma small primer, and .22-250 Rem examples, they really are superb. The .22-250 in particular has the smallest neck thickness variations I've measured in any make / model of case to date, so I'm very hopeful. I've been promised a supply within the next few weeks so will find out soon enough.

Laurie,
York, England
 
Laurie, I wouldnt be builing a 6.5 WSSM if I was shooting 800-1000yds in the conditions you shoot in. I would build what you blokes are building. I use a 284 for the longs as in Australia we generaly dont have as rough conditions as I have heard you have in U.K, and we shoot F class at 300,500 and 600yds a lot.
I got a cheap bolt body off someone who is moving away from a WSMto a 6.5x55imp (too much gun for our conditions), so it will work fine in my Barnard. I agree it would have been easier going to a 6.5x55 imp, which my 2 best shooting freinds built on my recommendation. (and they are both shooting awsome with minimal load work up), but I love the look of the 6.5 WSSM. The necks are now .011" thick and shoulders annealed, so I hope chamber sealing will be OK.
Mike, I will be happy limiting my speeds to around 2950 fps, or where ever it likes to shoot around that range. I was after a consistant tack driver, not so much a sledge hammer. It is good to know they have the potential though.

I will let people know how it goes when it is going.
 
I will let people know how it goes when it is going.
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Yes please, mate. Good shooting with the cartridge - I suspected you had an action / bolt that suited and fortunately it's not the Winchester / Browning version that seems to have a major problem when fitted with a barrel chambered for any WSSM - now surmised as insufficient metal around the chamber that leads to excessive expansion at 65,000 psi PMax and subsequent hard extraction. Anyway, I can't talk about being 'odd man out' being the only registered GB F Class Association F/TR shooter who uses .223 Rem at all distances.
 
You bring up a very good point Laurie; there must be enough barrel steel around the chamber of ANY magnum diameter cartridge.
Otherwise, near SAAMI max, the chamber will expand beyond brass yield(with normal clearances) and then springback fully to an interference fit.
This was headed off by Savage, who released a medium length WSM action with CRPF, standing blade ejection, and accepting a larger tenon.
This is one factory that knows what they're doing.

I can't imagine that Win brass is typically impressive compared to Lapua. I consider WSSM factory ammo to be disposable only. But Winchester really should be credited for the excellent WSSM reloading brass they've made available.
It's downside, and strength, is that it was formed from WSM cases leaving neck thickness at 19thou plus.
Definitely turn it
 
It's downside, and strength, is that it was formed from WSM cases leaving neck thickness at 19thou plus.
Definitely turn it
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Mike,

I hadn't heard that, but it makes sense when you mention it. I had a .243WSSM, a Winchester 70 Stealth, a while back and it was a considerable disappointment despite a promising start. Of course, what I didn't know was that FN-Herstal was running the old New Haven factory down and this rifle must have been made there in its dying days on clapped out machinery by a largely unmotivated workforce facing redundancy. (I have an FN A4 SPR from only a little later that is a much better bit of kit.)

I mostly used Winchester unprimed brass and it was a disappointment compared to other calibres from the same manufacturer I've used in recent years - and in the UK more expensive than Lapua .308 or .243. Several cases had to be scrapped from the off for neck and shoulder folds or other faults that the factory hadn't picked up. Maybe I was unlucky and picked up a bad batch.

Anyway, an interesting design. I think though that too much has been made of the 'PPC-effect'. I reckon that case capacity / charge weight to bore diameter is the key factor, so on that basis .243WSSM should be efficient as it's very close to .243 Win, a proven performer, likewise 6.5-08mm / .260 Rem with a 6.5mm wildcat. .223 ???? over-bore capacity??

Best wishes,

Laurie
 
This amount of metal around the brass is something I considered. I have 2 barrels, one a True-flite with std 1.25" diameter breach end (they dont make them any wider) and 31" long. The other is a Broughton with 1.35" breach and 28" long. I will be limiting pressures with the thin barrel to reasonable levels, though most of the stubby little case will be inside the action threads of a Barnard.


Like you said, other cartridges are easier to make, but I like to be different, not shoot 223 at long range different (thats masochistic). just a bit different.
 
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